It’s summertime as I write this, and in the full swing of summer it’s easy to find those dependably cheery flowers: marigolds! Marigolds are ideal for the beginning gardener. They’re hardy and survive in many different environments, from Zone 2 to Zone 11, when sown as seed on the ground, and the common orange variety (or the red and gold variety) are easy to find as small palleted plants at small and larger nurseries. This makes marigold one of my top picks for newer dyers, ...
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Summer is here and all the flowers are in full bloom! One of our favorite yarns for warm summer weather is Bristle. This unique blend of organic wool and hemp has a rustic appearance. The two ply structure really shows off the hemp content, which doesn’t absorb dye as quickly as wool. We wanted to dye this yarn a fun color reminiscent of wildflowers. With overlapping speckles of yellow, pink and purple, this yarn packs a sunny punch! Learn how to dye this yarn following ...
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Madder is perhaps one of the few very well-known natural dyes, outside of indigo. This is in part because of its worldwide use for thousands of years as the primary source of reds and oranges. The dye comes from the root of the plant, which takes several years to develop as a dye source, but when dried and ground, becomes the source of red shades that have captivated humanity for centuries. Unlike many of the wood dyes I’ve been experimenting with, madder has more range ...
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